Things to not say when you represent Oshawa

The CAW is stepping up its protest in Oshawa. I remain doubtful that they can get GM to change its mind though. On the other hand, if I were Jim Flaherty, I'd be extremely worried about my seat in parliament come the next election. His whole line about not investing in Ontario is really going to hurt him. The GM workers seem to quote it to everyone. Payback's a bitch, Jim.

Shorter Jim Flaherty

Ontario is teh stupid!

Now why, oh why, doesn't Ontario move to support the Conservative Party?

How to lose friends and alienate people

For the talk that Conservatives (large and small-c) make about decentralization and leaving things out of the hands of the federal government, Jim Flaherty sure seems meddlesome. According to the National Compost he's going to discuss his "expectations" for the Ontario budget. Oh really, gee Jim, as I recall, we didn't elect your party last time out so we don't really care around here what you think.

I have an idea, Jim Flaherty, why don't just lay out there and declare your intention to run for John Tory's job? I have a hunch that's why you're really doing this.

Budget 2008: Transit No One's Asked For

Jim Flaherty has earmarked money in his federal budget for a rail link from Toronto to Peterborough. I live in Toronto and I have family in Peterborough and in neither place can I recall there being a great clamouring for this rail link. I'm sure it's only a coincidence that this link would run through Flaherty's riding. This is of course something to remember when the Cons talk about how they are sound fiscal managers et cetera.

Stop me if you've heard this one before

Shorter Stephane Dion: This government sucks, but we'll support them anyhow. When is this routine going to change? What will trigger an election?

Deficits. Again.

Flaherty insists that the federal government will stay in the black, and yet, there continue to be whispers of a return to deficits. After the tough choices made by the Liberals in the 1990s, it would be a shame for the Conservatives to wipe all of that out.

Besides, they cut taxes, isn't that supposed to raise revenues according to the Wall Street Journal's economic theology?

Jim Flaherty vs. Market Forces: Round 2 or Take Your Own Advice

CBC's reports on this subject this evening mentioned that Flaherty said that consumers also need to do their part by - wait for this - shopping around and comparing prices!

What? Are you saying just taking the first thing you see isn't a good idea?! Wow, Jim, you better run that down to DND so they can stop buying all that military hardware on no-bid contracts! Brilliant!

Flaherty Struggles to Understand Market Forces

Poor Jim Flaherty, he's on a "crusade" to pass the savings from the high dollar on to consumers. Unfortunately manufacturers and retailers aren't particularly interesting in passing along saving when they can stall, bullshit, and maximize shareholder profits by doing so.

It's annoying that companies are doing this, and as a consumer it frustrates me, but I figure that the only thing that will really make a difference given how our economy is structured, is being persistent in ordering things from the US (along with lots of other Canadians) until Canadian retailers relent and lower prices.

In the meantime, Canadian retailers (and manufacturers, and distributors) will drag out any process that cuts prices for at least a few quarters in order to fill up their own coffers. Being that they allege to be such great fans of free markets, you'd think that the Conservatives would understand how this would work.